Self-closing can.



W. H. MoNUTT.

SELF CLOSING CAN.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. s, 1913.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

awma/f bozme FFICE.

WILLIAM H. MGNU'IT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 CARRIE EMMA OWEN, 0F

' I FM'NKLIIN, NEW YORK.

SELF-CLOSING- CAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

Application filed September 6, 1913. Serial No. 788,419.

To all whom it may cancer-n Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. MoNUT'r, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new' and useful. Improvements 1 n self -fllosing Cans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic closures or lids for cans or vessels designed for holding readily inflammable or explosive fluids, such as gasolene and the like; and is especially designed for use with cans provided with along filler tube of sheet metal having small '-fl'ameproof' apertures and which projects down into the'lcan, forthe purpose of preventing baok fire of ignlted vapor or" flame, into the can, that would cause an explosion.

The object of the present inventlon is to providea' lid that is hinged to'the outer end of the projecting t'1'ibe,'w=ith a form of elongated spring that serves to automatically closeth'e lid whenever "it has been opened and released and retain it in the closed posit'ion; and ii hich-spring is readily detachable from the inner face of thie lid, and also at its lower end from the lower portion of the filler-tube, whereby upon such spring becoming de ective it 'oan'be' easily removed by disconnecting it froin the lid and from the lower portion o fthe'ttibe, and w thout removal the tube "-fro'rn can, and also without theemployment of any tools.

A further ob'jeot ofthe tnwenaon s to provide in connection with the described spring arrangement, a closure orstopper for the lower or inner .endof' the filler tube that will be entirely non cor rosive, and

with my invention-applied; and Fig: 2 isa plan view of the lid.

As shown in the drawing the top 3 of the can 2 has a central opening 4, at which is secured a bushing 5 whose bore registers with the opening 4, the bushing having a flange 6 at the bottom by which it is secured to the top 3 by suitable means such as rivets. A tube 7 of comparatively thin sheet metal and of an outside diameter to fit into the bore of the bushing 5, is secured in the provided throughout its length with minute fiame-proof openings. A suitable closure is provided for the lower end of the filler tube 7 that is of sufiicient strength to carry a loop at its center to receive a spring whose tension serves to close a lid at the top of the bushing. I preferably provide a tapered plug 9 formed out of wood, that is forced into the lower end of the filler tube 7, and frictionally held therein, as well as by the tension of the spring as will be set forth. By forming this plug of wood, there is no possible danger of the closure being. loosened or damaged from corrosion, as sometimes occurs where a metal closure is employed for such purpose.

At the central portion of the inner face of the plug 9 I secure a loop for the purpose, as stated, of engaging a spring, and as shown I provide a bolt 10 passing through an axial bore in the plug, and having a loop 11 at the top. The bolt is shown as provided with nuts 12 on its lower threaded end; and I further provide washers 13 and 14: on the two faces of the plug 9 to receive the strain of the bolt, and also to protect the wooden plug. At theupper end of the bushing 5 I provide a lid T15 that'is suitably hinged to the bushing, such as by a lug 16 being pivoted to ears 17 on the bushing, whereby the lid can swing from the closed position shown, to an open position as indicated in broken lines; the opening of the lid being facilitated by a 'bail 18 swinging on ears 19 at the outer face of the lid 15. On the inner face of the lid 15 at the center, I secure a loop 20, that may be in the form of a closed eye similar tothe eye 1-1 of the bolt 10 at the bottom of the tube; and this eye is preferably secured to the lid so that its plane is-parallel to the axis on which the lid swings, as shown. A coil spring 21. is provided of a length to have its extremities-detachably en aged with the loop 20 on the lid, and wit the loop 11 at the lower end of the filler tube. Each of these detachable connections, at the ends of the spring, is preferably in the form of a hook and loop; that is, the upper end of the spring is connected with the lid by a hook on one of these members engaging a loop on the other memher; and the lower end of the spring is confrom by merely swinging it a short distance out of its normal position. And I secure a similar hook 23 to the lower end of the spring, that can be readily caused to engage the loop 11 projecting up from the plug 9.

This longspring member 21 will serve to normally retain the lid in the closed position as shown. When access. to the can is desired, the lid isengaged by its bail 18, and is swung back on its hinge, which action will put the spring under still further tension, obviously drawing the spring to one side of the filler tube as indicated in broken lines, and as the coil spring is flexible the' lid can be swung back to the position indicated by the broken lines, but the spring will at once return the lid to closed position upon release of the lid.

It will be readily understoodthat when it is desired to remove the spring for any cause, the lid is opened and the spring grasped bythe hand, and turned so that the hook 22 can be drawn out of the loop 20, that will free the spring from the lid. Then by slight manipulation of the spring the lower hook 23 can be moved out of the ,loop 11 on the plug, when the spring'is free to be removed from the tube. Obviously, another spring can be attached in the same manner, by simply inserting it in the tube and causing its hook to engage the loop 11 on the plug, and then hookin the upper end of the spring to the eye on t e lid, the said plug remaining in place during both the detaching and attaching operations by reason of its frictional engagement in the tube end. By arrangin the loop -20 parallel with the axis of the lid, the hook 22 will take a position at right angles thereto as shown, and as the lid swings open the hook will swing on the eye, but will not become disengaged therefrom. Since the spring that holds the lid is alwaysunder tension, the plug 9 will be drawn into the tube and securely held in this closing position. Being formed of wood, the plug cannot become loosened through chemical action, as sometimes occurs with a metal closure. The use of the large washer 13 on top of the wooden plug, protects the plug, especially in the insertion and removal of the spring, as the hook cannot-be jammed against the wooden surface.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with abushing adapted to be secured in a can opening, and a lid hinged to said bushing and provided with bolt having an upper terminal loop; and a coil spring disposed within said tube and provided at its-opposite ends with hooks detachably engaged with the loops on said lid and said bolt, whereby upon disengaging the lid loop from the upper hook on said spring, the lowerhook on saidspring can be disengaged from the bolt-loop, said plug and tube remaining in place during such disengagement.

2. The combination, with abushing adapted to be secured in a can opening, and a lid hinged to said bushing and provided with a depending loop of 'a tube extending down from the bore of the bushing and provided with minute flame-proof openings; a tapered Wooden plug frictionally engaged in the lower end of said tube and provided with an axial bolt having an upper terminal loop; washers arranged against the opposite .faces. of said plug to protect the same and to receive the strain of the bolt, and'a coil spring disposed Within said tube and provided atits opposite ends with hooks detachably engaged with the 100 s on said lid, and said bolt, whereby upon isengaging the lid loop from the upper hook on said spring, the lower hook on said sprin can be disengaged from the bolt loop, sai plug and tube remaining. in place during such disengagement.

WILLIAM H. McNUTT. Witnesses:

CHAS. E. JONES, Aonns OLSEN. 

